Who is your favorite composer?

[Existensia]

I recently obtained a copy of the Shining the Holy Ark album. I must say it is very emotional and gripping. Truly a masterpiece that lives up to its reputation (and price). At the moment, I am inclined to say Motoi Sakuraba as a result of my sheer appreciation for this album. Oh, and I love the Beyond the Beyond OST and the Star Ocean Perfect Sound Collection. I call these three 1996 produced works of his (Shining, Star Ocean and BtB) the "Three Titans." They stand the trials of time and become infinitely more valuable as it progresses. His work on the Tales series keeps me purchasing each and every one and his obscure works, such as Zan, Arcus, Granada and so forth are unbelievable, as well.

Anyway, who is your favorite composer and why?

[Dragon God]

Shinji Hosoe for me. I feel that his music is very addictive, though not for everyone. I especially love his works from iS : Internal Section and Driving Emotion Type-S. His solo albums aren't bad either, I really enjoy the Sampling Masters music; if only we'd get a DVD of that DJ-ing event of Sega that took place last year. I'd very much like to see Mr. Hosoe perform live. I wonder if there is any chance of that happening ?

For others, please look right here (http://www.rpgclassics.com/subsites/floating/reasonsvgm.shtml). Please Note : Composers are listed in no particular order.

[Smeg]

Sakuraba is my favorite as well, and one of my biggest influences. I have to disagree regarding the Tales series' music, though. While all of the soundtracks have their moments, on the whole they're disappointing. They contain the majority of the music I've heard credited to Sakuraba that I didn't like.

Most of my other favorites are underexposed greats from the NES days - folks like Sunsoft's Naoki Kodaka and Kazuo Sawa of Technos.

[Ticklish Banana]

I couldn't pick one favourite composer...

Koji Kondo, for all his masterpieces. While his latest soundtracks, in my opinion, haven't been as good as his earlier ones, they're still right up there.

Koichi Sugiyama, for Dragon Quest. Just beautiful. I love the Symphonic Suite CD-BOX... 7CDs of goodness.

Rareware Soundteam, for their pleasant tunes. I don't have a particular favourite out of Evelyn Fischer, Dave Wise, Grant Kirkhope and Graeme Norgate, though.

[Emperorsblackbones]

It used to be Yuzo Koshiro (Sorcerian, Ys), but now it's actually Motoi Sakuraba. My favorite work by him is the Valkyrie Profile AST.

Another composer I'm starting to notice is Kohei Tanaka. The Paladin's Quest AST has some of the best arrangements I've heard. Bounty Sword, Alundra, and the first level theme from Xardion are all good, too.

[Abrahm]

It's so hard to pick just one. I guess I'll say Motoi Sakuraba is my favorite. But I have more Yoko Kanno albums, and she's one of my favorites, too. And that Yuzo Koshiro guy... he's pretty good. :)

On a side note, it seems Sakuraba has been focusing a bit more on percussion with his recent releases, and I like that. I love the drum work on Baten Kaitos, and it was just as impressive on Star Ocean Til the End of Time vol. 2

I do have to say that even Sakuraba can disappoint me, though. His Super Mario Bros. arrangement on the Famicom 20th Anniversary Arrange Sound Tracks was rather bland. I can't get into the original Star Ocean music, either. But I'll pick up the re-release later... maybe that will change my mind.

[cloudff7]

For me it would be Hitoshi Sakimoto since I love his musicality that deals with just orchestral melodies. His work on the FF Tactics and the Radiant Silvergun soundtracks is truly amazing. Slowly he is beginning to get the respect he deserves. Secondly, my other composer would Masashi Hamauzu due to his work on the Unlimited Saga and Saga Frontier 2 OSTs. It was those two that got me interested in his work.

While those are my two top, my third choice would probably Yoko Shimomura because of her usage of piano frequently!

[KujaFFman]

I can't believe you respect these composers, you should begin with learning their names.

My favorite composer is Masashi Hamauzu. I discovered him with Final Fantasy X, where he did, to my mind, the best tracks. Songs like "Wandering" or the final battle are wonderful ! I also love his work on SaGa Frontier 2, despite the quite bad sound quality. The Piano Pieces inspired by this game are very nice !

But when I first listened to Unlimited SaGa I felt like being in heaven. This soundtrack is excellent ! The distinction between disc one and two is impressive, but the result is great. This is really a masterpiece. I'm looking forward to his next work. What will it be ???!!

[yoi801]

As I am not playing so much RPG games, my favorite composer resently is Santaruru, Namaki Manabu.

I knew his works from Battle Garegga, then DaiOuJou and Ketsui.

all of them are Cave arcade shooting games.

second is Megaten, from Ridge Racer, Galaxin6, StarBlade.
then Sakimoto Hitoshi, FFT series.

and more:Sanodg, Saso Ayako, J99(in namco years)

[cloudff7]

I can't believe you respect these composers, you should begin with learning their names.


Oh, excuse me for making a typing error, as I'm sure you haven't yet in your lifetime. If one is able to clearly show a level of understanding of a composer's work as well as products, I don't think you have the right to judge. In this case almost example you brought up I did as well, sorry for adding a "t" to the end of his name...

[Mikal Aganti]

It's hard to narrow it down to one composer as it is game and song specific, however Koji Kondo for Zelda and Motoi Sakuraba for Golden Sun are up there.

[Anonymous]

My favorite composers would be: Motoi Sakuraba, Nobuo Uematsu, Noriyuki Iwadare, Koichi Sugiyama and Koji Kondo. All of them are incredibly talented! Also the shamefully uncredited composer of the Faxanadu soundtrack for the NES. Outside of the game world it would have to be James Horner, John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith with his earlier works.

[Otaru]

Most likely Yasunori Mitsuda or Noriyuki Iwadare on Chrono Cross and the Grandia series.

[Grandia-Fan:Ryudo]

Well i love noriyuki iwadare's pieces,i think he is the best of all! and i like too Koji kondo,(zelda,mario) ,motoi sakuraba (Various games) yasunori mitsuda (xenogears),Koichi sugiyama (dragon quest saga)...and a few a lot i dont remember now... :lol:

[Afronova]

It's very hard to choose a composer and not an other, but maybe It's Hitoshi Sakimoto...
Maybe because I love his orchestral melodie (like said CloudFF7) but It's not only that, I've a strange feeling with his compositions...I made him with 1 track, Victim from Radiant Silvergun OST+, I was ready to cry...

He was excellent on Vagrant Story (and his marvelous Staff Roll!).
He was excellent on Radiant Silvergun...
And I hope he'll be excellent on Final Fantasy XII (hum...no problem,heh)

[Grass-eatin'me]

second is Megaten...

Fantastic! Two people have mentioned Shinji Hosoe as a favourite! =) Even non-Japanese people knows and appreciates his works now.

I say Motoi Sakuraba, as almost all of you have done. I also like almost all Telenet composers, Nobuhito Koise, Shinobu Ogawa and Tenpei Sato. The Glodia fellow with a strange name, Abreath Nakamura, also tops my list.

Non-Telenet composers would be Hiro, Funkey K.H and Mickey of the S.S.T.

[Garamond]

The people in Sakimoto forum should know who's my favorite.
I also have eye on Masashi Hamauzu, Rezon(FFT), Hayato Matsuo(Front Mission 3, Ogre, Panzer Dragon Azel/Orta)
but let me say a non well-known name here:
Shoji Meguro, he's the composer of Persona 1, Makken X/XX,
Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne and Digital Devil Saga.
(All of them are sub-series of Megaten)
I haven't played/listened to Makken but Nocturne and DDSaga.
He did some extreme great battle themes in both game with purly J-rock style.
I highly recommemd both OST even you haven't played the game.

edit: http://www.ff12.com has just released 3 bgms from game
All of them are composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto.

[Master Zophar]

This would be a longer list so I'll narrow it down: 8)

Hitoshi Sakimoto "Ikaruga, Ogre Battle, Tactics Ogre, OB64, Radiant Silvergun, Gradius V, FF Tactics, Breath of Fire V, Legaia Dual Saga & Vagrant Story"

Yuzo Koshiro "Actraiser & Actraiser 2"

Noriyuki Iwadare "Lunar Eternal Blue"

Yasunori Mitsuda "Chrono Trigger/Cross, Xenogears/Saga & Legaia Dual Saga"

All Castlevania/Demon Castle Dracula & Megaman/Rockman "org. & X"composers.

Special mention:
Nobou Uematsu "pre Sony works"
M. Samuragochi "why oh why didn't Capcom keep him on for Onimusha 2 & 3 :cry: "
Dark Wizard Sound Team "Dark Wizard"
Spencer Nilsen "Sonic CD"

Everyone's music diversity on this post is very cool. :D

[Drakken]

Yasunori Mitsuda is my favorite composer, mainly because of Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross, which are two of my favorite soundtracks (and games) of all time.

I also like Uematsu, Sakuraba, Kondo, Shimomura, Kajiura, the Atelier Iris Eternal Mana composers, and a lot more...

[datschge]

Hitoshi Sakimoto "Ikaruga, [...]

Ikaruga is not composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto but by the Treasure genius (programmer, director, producer, composer) Hiroshi Iuchi.

[Kilu]

It's impossible to name only one, so...

Tim & Geoff Follin (Super Off Road, Plok!, Solstice, Tom & Jerry, Euinox, Target Renegade, Ecco - Defender of the Future...)
-Love their style more than anyone elses. Geoff has stopped composing and is apparently teaching now. Tim disappeared after Ecco - Defender of the Fiture :( I want more.

Yo****aka Hirota
-Solely for Brain Hopper from the first Shadow Hearts. It makes my socks twirl.

Hitoshi Sakimoto
-Emperor of Balladry from Trasure Hunter G is one of most beautiful songs I have ever heard. This mans soundtracks are always solid, he never disappoints.

[Kaminari]

Greetings!

K¶hei Tanaka is a rare example of a mainstream composer (Gunbuster, anyone?) who successfully tried his luck in the video game industry. I think one of his best pieces of music was Tengai Maky¶: F¹un Kabuki Den for the PC Engine.

It's hard to pinpoint a single name when it comes down to my favorite composer... Many good ones have been cited here. I'd just mention Ry¹ Shimada, the genius from C'sware who wrote Yu-No's soundtrack for the PC-98 (the Saturn version was a joke). In the West, there are an awful lot of underrated talents, most of them coming from the demo scene. If I had to pick up just one, I'd say Gustaf Grefberg, aka Lizardking -- the true king of doskpop!

[Music Jack]

I would have to say Noriyuki Asakura is on of my favorites.
His unique mixture of pan asian/rock music is out of this world.

Other greats would be
Shinji Hosoe
Hitoshi Sakimoto
Yasuhisa Watanabe
OGR
Norihiro Furukawa
Takayuki Nakamura

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Yasunori Mitsuda. Definitely. His stuff is just so beautiful and so emotional, and nobody consistently comes close.

Koji Kondo comes in a distant second, just because he has such a unique and inimitable style.